Bibla - The Little Library (Book of Mormon - Week Eight)

What is the biggest issue traditional Christians have with Mormons?

I mean, okay, yeah there's lots of issues they have with us (most of which are misconceptions). But the very biggest? I'd venture to say that it's the fact that we have a "second Bible" - the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It's totally understandable, honestly. If you believed God didn't speak anymore (that's one I would find so hard to accept personally), then why would He present another scripture?

But here's the thing - God does speak. He also speaks to individuals. Have you ever had one of those days that you were knocked down to your knees because you didn't know who else to turn to? I know I have. Tell me, have you ever felt better afterwards? Someone might have come up to you and said just the right thing to help make your day better or solve your problem. That was Heavenly Father's way of telling you He loves you. Whether it is done by Him or by His servants, it is the same (D&C 1:38). Why would God just suddenly stop talking? If He loves all of His children, He would guide all of them through to the very end, not just give a single book of answers and say, "well, I guess that's sufficient". God does not love us a sufficient amount, He loves us more than we can ever imagine. His love is unfathomable - so it only makes sense that He would guide us all until the very end. He knows you by name and loves you more than you could ever know!

In 2 Nephi 29:3, Heavenly Father speaks, saying "many of the Gentiles (and also people in our day) shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible."

Maybe you're reading that, saying "Yeah it makes sense. Nothing else needed to be outlined."

But then, look at the word Bible. The word derives from a French word - "bibla," meaning "library." Take that a step further - the Oxford English Dictionary (ooh, fancy) defines the word "bible" as "little library." Even further now! Think about how the Bible was assembled. Way back in the day, all scripture was held in the temples. There were tons and tons of scrolls, plates, papyrus, what have you. Then time passed, and they decided that they wanted a book. So, they took a bit of everything, making a little library of what could be found at the temple.

"A little library! A little library! We have already got a little library, and there cannot be any more little library." Now, doesn't that sound a bit foolish? There's more works there! Who wouldn't want more books in their library?

God goes on, saying in verse 7, "Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?" The Book of Mormon is Christ's account in the Americas. The Bible is mostly in the Middle East. I personally believe that there are perfectly valid scriptures from many lands, even more than just the Middle East and the Americas. Please know - that is my belief, not the LDS Church's belief necessarily. For example, I feel the Tao Te Ching is great scripture - I have felt the Holy Ghost reading that. But that's a discussion for another day.

I know that the Book of Mormon is true scripture, great to add to your "little library" (see what I did there?). I know that God still talks to His children, both individually and personally, but also through His prophet. I have read the book, prayed about it, and can testify that God gave me an answer. I know of its truth. I invite you to do the same!

Holy, holy, holy! (Book of Mormon - Week Seven)

No lie, this week's post will be much less spiritual, and much more about interesting things learned this week, mainly because I didn't find any extremely life-changing words this week in lecture today. We're mostly focusing on history and dissecting the poetry that is Isaiah's writings. He's one tough cookie to understand (though his words are touching).

The most interesting thing I learned this week involves Isaiah's use of repetition. It's throughout the scriptures everywhere, so I figured it'd be good to share with y'all. It's already upped my scripture study.

In 2 Nephi 16, Isaiah is having a vision, and sees one seraphim (if I'm understanding this right - Isaiah is a little confusing) say unto another "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory" (2 Nephi 16:6). But why does he say it three times? Well, apparently, three is a superlative and holy number, and is highly symbolic to Isaiah and many Biblical writers. It gives a lot of emphasis to what is being said, and it is the supreme number to them. Don't ask me why, because honestly I'm not sure. If anyone would care to shed some light on the subject i the comments below, please do. But anyway, that shows that when something is repeated three times, it's something to pay attention to. Oftentimes in the scriptures, "Wo! Wo! Wo!" or something similar appears. To me, this means to slow down and really pay attention to why this word is being repeated, because it means their action/attitude/whatever is being spoken about is a big deal.

This divine number that is the number three shows its importance in other aspects of our religion as well as others. Look at the three members of the Godhead, the three degrees of glory, and the three days that passed before Jesus was resurrected. Three shows its face throughout religion.

The Gilbert, Arizona Temple (© Photo courtesy of John Power. All rights reserved.)

Specifically in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we use the number three as a superlative without even realizing. For those of you who don't know, we have temples - which are houses of the Lord on this earth - that we dedicate to the Lord when they are done being built. I won't give lots of detail about temples, just because I honestly can't tell you much more than what I have - I haven't gone through the temple yet and couldn't give an explanation better than this one. But anyway, at these temple dedications, we do this thing called the "hosanna shout." We take a white handkerchief, and while waving it, say in unison "Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! to God and the Lamb!" three times, ending with "Amen! Amen! Amen!" Yes, it is a little odd, but it is what it is. It's our traditional way of praising God and setting the temple apart to the Lord. The fact that it is a marvel and a wonder is beside the point. The point is, we repeat this phrase three times. We ask "hosanna" three times, and end with "amen" three times. (For the record, this isn't a secret, you can read about it right here). That aspect of the temple lifts up and makes holy to us what is being repeated - praises of joy, to God and to Christ and to His Atonement, Amen! that it can be dedicated properly and be good enough to be called a Heavenly home on earth.

 Maybe we should pay more attention to the number three. I'm very curious as to how the number lost its meaning in our day when it was the superlative back in Biblical times. Paying attention to this number and knowing it was - and still should be - significant has changed my scripture study and other aspects of my spiritual life, and I think it'll do the same for you.

"O Wretched Man That I Am!" - 2 Nephi 4 (Book of Mormon - Week Six)

This week, I discovered my absolute LOVE for 2 Nephi 4. This chapter answered prayers that I couldn't find the words to utter aloud. I guess this chapter tends to be referred to as either the Lamentations or Psalm of Nephi, and I now understand why. This chapter talks about Nephi's weaknesses - he is tempted, and those temptations "easily beset him" (2 Nephi 4:18). He talks about his feelings about himself because of iniquities - "when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins," but goes on to speak of his Lord - his sole reason for continuing on fighting hard (19). There's so much I want to talk about with this. I feel like everything Nephi felt and the pleading with the Lord done here is how I feel often. I always desire to be so much more, and so much better, yet the simplest, silliest temptations are what tend to get me and take me farther away from my Lord. Nevertheless, I keep trying, and the Lord continues to motivate me to try, and I progress. Slower than I want to, but I still progress. I never highlight in my Book of Mormon saved for lecture, only in my set at home. But I couldn't help myself with this chapter - I highlighted everything.

I feel like if you just read the chapter as I did in personal study, you'll be able to feel Nephi's emotions just as I did and know that everyone falls short - even one of God's most beloved prophets. It is through the enabling power of the Atonement that any of us can make it back to our Heavenly Home. So, although that was the most powerful thing I attained from this chapter, I'll let you do that on your own. I want to talk about what we discussed in class with this chapter - the fail-proof step-by-step guide to recovering from a bad day. Here we go:

Step One: Have righteous desires.

Before even mentioning his weakness, Nephi speaks of his desires - "upon these I write the things of my soul...For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard" (2 Nephi 4:16-17). If your desires are good, you'll fall short less often. Sure, the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions, but even having good intentions is better than having none, and good intentions is just the first step. You cannot move on to bigger and better things if you don't know what bigger and better things you want or why you want them.

Step Two: Know your personal weaknesses.

From verse 17, Nephi goes on, saying, "Nevertheless...my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins..." (2 Nephi 4:17-19) Although Nephi does not tell us straight out what it is he struggles with, he makes it very clear that he does have his struggles. My last blog post talked about how we should look at out weaknesses. I think Nephi sees his weaknesses properly. He is humble and submissive because of them. What are your weaknesses? How do they make you unhappy? What do you want to do about them?

Step Three: Remember why you should stay strong.

Don't you love the word "nevertheless"? I never really noticed it until we studied it so in-depth this term! Nephi follows his lamentation with this word "nevertheless", meaning, "despite all of that". He says, "nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted. My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep. He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh (meaning "my worldly desires disappear")...he hath heard my cry" (2 Nephi 4:19-23). It's easy to get into a pity party when you forget the point of it all and forget that you have a God who loves you so much, knows your afflictions, and simply asks that you follow him and always improve, and He'll give you strength and blessings and mercy and pure joy unfathomable otherwise. Always remember Him.

Step Four: Count your blessings. Do what is right.

This totally goes hand-in-hand with step three. Nephi goes on through all of these "he hath" phrases from verse 20 through verse 25 (I mentioned some of them above, so I won't type out any more) talking about how blessed he is. Heavenly Father hears Nephi's cries and gives him protection and love and knowledge. Nephi does all he can to overcome temptation, and in exchange, the Lord gives him a boost and affirms that he is doing the right thing. Make goals. Always strive to be better. Keep your priorities straight. Work hard during the day and then cry aloud on your knees. Do all you can, and then stay positive and happy. If you're always looking at the negative, then negative is all you'll see. Look up.

Step Five: Re-evaluate the big picture.

From here, Nephi starts looking again, and asks questions. "O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in such mercy, why should by heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?...why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul?" (2 Nephi 4:26-27). Once you realize that your temptations and weaknesses come from man or from evil, you'll start to realize that your sorrow is so much less than your blessings. And then there is room for epiphany. 

Step Six: Re-convict yourself.

Here's where my heart just leapt, remembering the first moment I felt a re-conviction to the Lord. "Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul...O Lord, I will praise thee forever" (2 Nephi 4:28, 30). If you thought you had righteous desires before, just you wait until you feel a re-conviction to the Lord. This feeling makes you realize just how strong your God is, and through Him, how strong you can become. It makes you never want to sin again, and it is the most comforting feeling in the world - because of your God, nothing will bring you down.

Step Seven: Plead to the Lord for strength.

This is where I always fall short - I would end my recovery with re-conviction. But Nephi goes on, asking the Lord to protect him and keep him from ever giving in to temptation again. "O Lord, I have trusted in thee. And will put my trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh...cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm." (2 Nephi 4:34). To stay strong, you have to tell the Lord in prayer what you will do and what you need from Him - make a covenant with Him.

Step Eight: Always bring it back to your testimony.

"Yea, I know that God will giveth liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen" (2 Nephi 4:35).

Making Weak Things Strong - 2 Nephi 2 (Book of Mormon - Week Five)

            So I know this post is a late one – last week and this week are by far my most busy weeks, so forgive me!

            Last Wednesday, we had another amazing class. We mostly studied 2 Nephi 2, which is basically Lehi talking to Jacob and blessing him (I think it’s Lehi? Don’t quote me on that). The chapter starts out, saying, “in thy childhood[, Jacob,] thou hast suffered afflictions, and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy bretheren [Laman and Lemuel]. Nevertheless Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain” (2 Nephi 2:1-2).

            It always bothered me when people said that our afflictions were a blessing from God. It’s hard for me to believe in a God who would say, “hey, I love you, so let me make your life worse.” Most of my most scarring afflictions were not from God at all, but from man through agency, in some cases, even my own. If we have the power to choose, it doesn’t make sense that God was behind it the whole time. But that’s not what is being said here. His afflictions are not blessings, necessarily, or even from God, but simply stated as for his gain.

            We all struggle with something. Even one of the most beloved examples in the Book of Mormon, Nephi, struggled (I’ll be writing about 2 Nephi 4 where we learn about Nephi’s struggles later this week). Brother Griffin told an amazing story that touched my heart. It was about a man who struggled. He was amazing, and worked very hard. But his thoughts wandered a lot when he saw scantily-dressed women. He always tried to control it, begging God to take his weakness from him, and tried to pull his thoughts back without harm. He always figured that he would just get married and grow out of it, but to no avail. It got to the point where he was retired, and wouldn’t go out shopping with his wife because he knew that seeing the ads would make his mind wander. However, one day, he did, and just stayed in the car while she went inside and shopped. A young woman walked by, and the old man turned awa
y, his thoughts wandering. He cried aloud “Oh God, wilt thou take mine affliction away and make me strong against this silly temptation? Haven’t I suffered long enough?” He then heard a voice in his mind, which said “I will not take it away, for through thine weakness, thou comest unto me.”

            And then I thought. There are things I struggle with. I think we all have personal temptations that we hesitate to talk about, hoping to contain our demons. How often have I cried, “Oh God, wilt thou take this away from me?” But no, He will not, because without it, we would have no reason to come unto Christ and use His Atonement.

This relates to Ether 12:27, a pretty popular favorite for most. “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”

Your weaknesses come from your natural man, but they are not necessarily bad. Though they are not God-given, they bring us unto the Savior and make us kneel down at his feet.